


The Little Things

by ichigokage



Category: Gotham (TV)
Genre: About as soft as Jerome can be in canon I think, Domestic, F/M, Fluff, Witch OC - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-17
Updated: 2020-08-17
Packaged: 2021-03-06 01:28:34
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,271
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25945123
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ichigokage/pseuds/ichigokage
Summary: Jerome breaks out of Arkham and decides to crash at the home of someone rather dear to him, only he knows the true reason. It's on a need to know basis and only he has to know.
Relationships: Jerome Valeska/Original Character(s), Jerome Valeska/Original Female Character(s)
Comments: 6
Kudos: 17





	The Little Things

**Author's Note:**

> Just something kinda cute for me to experiment writing for Jerome with my upcoming Gotham story with my OC.
> 
> Also a little oneshot for the King Monaghan's birthday. Stay safe and have a happy Birthday, Cam!
> 
> This is the very first time I've written for Gotham the show and Jerome himself. Please leave feedback on how I did with his characterization, it means a lot!

It was around mid Spring and Jerome Valeska had just broken out of Arkham and had dropped in on someone who may be considered rather dear to the maniac’s heart; a young woman from Las Vegas named Olivia. He had originally met her during his initial stint in Arkham Asylum, a mysterious newcomer who fought back even against Richard Sionis. With much persistence on his part, they got along rather well. 

His current hideout, Olivia’s home was a repurposed warehouse that she had turned into a nightclub. There was an upstairs that functioned as her office and an apartment of sorts. The walls were built to block out most of the noise of the club below. 

Still wearing his asylum attire, Jerome snuck in through a backdoor where deliveries were made during the day when business was slow and made his way up into the apartment, seeing no sign of the club owner just yet. Making him self at home, he unbuttoned his striped shirt and hung it on the coat hanger then untied and the slipped off the standard issue shoes every inmate received when thrown into that cesspit. 

The apartment itself was constructed with a beautiful dark wood with colors of Autumn as the theme. Purples, dark reds and oranges made the whole space feel welcoming and warm.

Jerome took off the white gloves he constantly wore and dropped them on the coffee table that was on the plum colored sofa. He could hear running water further inside and figured she was taking a shower. He walked to the small kitchen, fingers curling around the handle of the black refrigerator and opened it to get something to drink, expecting to just see cherry or strawberry sodas; Olivia’s personal favorite. To his pleasant surprise he saw cans of orange and even grape soda, two of his preferred flavors. He shrugged it off and grabbed a grape can and cracked it open, happily taking a couple gulps of the fizzy drink. The bubbles from the fizz made him feel a tad giddy. Oh how long it’s been since he’s had something other than what passed for water at Arkham, and his tastebuds were ecstatic at having something to really savor.

Knowing he would finish his first can off quickly, Jerome grabbed a can of orange soda and made his way back to the living room and let his body drop onto the sofa with a sigh of contentment. Even the sofa was more comfortable than the mattress he had been stuck with. He closed his eyes, letting his body relax, taking in the scent of cinnamon. His eyes fluttered open as he heard the water stop, music that he could not place was muffled by the distance and the door.

As he approached the bathroom, he could hear her humming to whatever song she had playing. He leaned against the wall, keeping quiet as he waited for her to come out, a grin on his marred face and a glint in his eyes.

A few minutes later, he heard the door unlock and turned his gaze as the occupant stepped out, still towel drying her long red hair. He quickly took note of the black shorts and purple leopard print tank top. His grin widened and he let out a wolf whistle. “How ya doin’, Gorgeous?” He asked, making his voice gruffer to mess with her.

Before he could step closer, he was slammed into the wall by an invisible force, seeing her eyes glow for a split second before she realizes who she had attacked and released him. “Fucking Christ, Jerome!” she screamed then heaved a sigh as the escapee began cackling as he was now back on his feet. “You realize I could’ve given you a concussion right?” she told him, throwing her damp towel at him.

Jerome caught the towel, shoulders still shaking somewhat from his laughter. “You’d never do that, shortcake. We have too much fun together. It’s nice to see you too by the way.” He smiled, following the woman back into the main room after throwing the towel back into the bathroom.

Olivia looked around, taking in the few changes she could see, he long sleeved over shirt, shoes, gloves discarded on the coffee table and two soda cans next to the gloves. “I see you’ve already made yourself at home.” She muttered, setting the cans on coasters.

“Eh you know what they say, ‘su casa es mi casa, right?” he giggled, dropping back down onto the sofa, his grin appearing again as she merely rolled her eyes and shook her head at his words. “Long time no see though, Liv.” He stretched, groaning deeply and letting his limbs go every which way he could.

“No kidding. About a month and a half right? Why the sudden break out, Rome?” she asked, checking something on her phone.

“A man can’t just wanna stretch his legs? Besides, a sleepover just sounds fun don’t ya think?” he told her, tilting his head back to rest against the back of the sofa. “This really is the comfiest thing I’ve sat on. Second only to your bed, Shortcake.” He added with a wink and click of his tongue.

Olivia couldn’t fight the grin, hands resting on her hips. She wanted to press but, something told her it was better left alone. And she would be lying if she said she hadn’t missed the lunatic. “Well, I suppose I don’t mind the company. You’ve got pretty good timing. I’ve got some food being delivered in like twenty minutes. You’ve gotta be feeling some munchies at least.” She said and sat next to him on the sofa, the younger man pretending to yawn and stretch to sling an arm over her shoulder. 

Jerome heard her snicker softly at his action and pulled her closer, nuzzling her hair. Much to his annoyance, she pushed him away. “You know I don’t mind cuddling but, you’ve gotta go shower.” She instructed. “You broke out and who knows what you’ve gotten up to since then, Sweetface.” She added, pulling him up from the couch, Jerome groaning dramatically like a child. In truth, he still loves the petname, she never stopped using it, even after he had to staple his face back on and once it was stitched back in place.

“I don’t think I feel like it. I may change my tune if a certain someone sweetens the deal.” He told her with a wiggle of his eyebrows.

Olivia crossed her arms with a thoughtful expression then smiled. “Of course! I can’t believe I forgot. Silly me.” She kneeled down in front of Jerome and pressed her lips to his, such a gentle action that Jerome was unused to but welcomed wholeheartedly. Had the nerves in his face not been so damaged, he could feel her warm and soft hand caress his scarred cheek. He could feel a tinge of warmth but that was about it.

As he began to lean into the kiss, perhaps even try to deepen it, he felt her suddenly vanish. His eyes snapped open to hear a door open and he jerked his head to see her rummaging in the closet. “There ya go. And here’s a nice, clean towel. Hurry up and maybe we can continue where we left off.” She told him with a cheeky grin on her face. One of the downsides to dating a witch he told himself. But he wouldn’t trade any of it.

Jerome finally took the hint when she kept her distance in the kitchen, pulling down what dinnerware they would need. “What’d you order?” he asked, gathering the towel she gave him.

“Some Chinese. Got a good bit coming. We’ll have leftovers for tomorrow too.” She answered, two plates, bowls and sets of silverware ready. “It’ll be here in about fifteen minutes according to DoorDash.”

He simply nodded and made his way into the bathroom, closing the door behind him. He eagerly stripped down from the itchy and ill-fitting uniform as the shower warmed up. As he stepped into the tub and the warm water rained over him, Jerome immediately felt his body relax. Even something as simple as a shower felt so much better out from Arkham. As he washed his body, a bottle he hadn’t seen in the shower before was on the shelf. He picked it up and read the label. It was a men’s shampoo and conditioner! He flicked the cap open and sniffed the bottle after giving it a test squeeze. It smelled quite nice. Maybe not a scent he would choose first. But, it would more than do the job he needed. 

Jerome lathered up his hair and he wondered if this was a scent that Olivia liked. Or maybe one she thought he would like. He wouldn’t complain either way. As the hot water washed away, he allowed his mind to slow down. He was safe as he could ever hope here. 

His shower was over with fairly quickly. After turning the water faucet off, he gave his head a bit of a shake then flung the shower curtain open, grabbing the towel to begin drying off. “Wait…I don’t have any clean clothes.” He realized, not in any hurry to get back in that grungy uniform. He would sooner walk around naked before putting that back on. His gaze drifted from the black and white striped pile to a set of folded clothes that say on the sink counter. A black muscle shirt and dark green pants. The pants felt almost like silk. Or satin. He wasn’t too sure nor did he care. He was curious when they could have been set in here. Olivia may have snuck them in he figured.

As he got dressed, he also noticed a second and red toothbrush in the cup next to Olivia’s purple one. He hummed in thought. Soda he liked, men’s wash, clean clothes and now a toothbrush. Was all this just for him? A soft growl from his stomach broke Jerome from his thoughts and he pulled the shirt over his head. The clothes fit nicely and he felt like a new man. Maybe he and Olivia could burn the Arkham uniform. That sounded fun to him. 

He strolled from the bathroom and to the main room to see Olivia with her back turned to him, looking through a collection of DVDs she owned. His mischievous grin returned as he decided to sneak up on her again. He was successful, wrapping his arms around her waist, chuckling as he felt her body jump slightly in his grasp. “Peek-a-boo, Shortcake.” He whispered into her ear with a wicked grin.

“You’re lucky I heard your footsteps. You might have been slammed into the wall again, Rome.” She sighed, used to his antics by this point. He loved sneaking up on people. To see their reactions. He was never dull to say the least. 

“You expect me to complain about you doing that? You know how much I love seeing your magic at work.” He cooed playfully. Her eyes scanned the DVDs, narrowing to focus on the titles and not the attention whore currently demanding her undivided attention by nuzzling her neck. Jerome growled, feeling impatient and nipped her neck, earning a surprised squeak from her. “Just which one are you looking for anyway?” he asked, chin resting on her shoulder. “Getting bored.” He drew out the last word for extra emphasis.

Olivia let out a small cheer as she pulled a DVD case out. “Found it!” she smiled wide and managed to turn around to face him, the DVD visible.

“Bride of Chucky? I half-expected some cheesy rom-com with how much of a gross romantic you can be.” He faked a gagging sound, earning a soft slap to his shoulder.

“Just so you know, I am very picky about what rom-coms I’ll watch. Sweet Home Alabama and Monster-In-Law are the best.” She said as Jerome took the case from her hands, looking over the back. “Besides, I need my fill of Queen Tilly. Woman is wife material and that’s just a fact.”

Jerome gave a thoughtful ‘hmm’ and set the case on the coffee table. He was truly missing being around her. She was the only one that played off him and it was just too much fun. Without wasting a second longer, he claimed her lips with his, a hand resting on her hip and his other hand slid up her body to cup her cheek.

Olivia sighed into the kiss, draping her arms around his shoulders and gave his lower lip a playfully yet firm nip, earning a groan from the man. His body went lax as her fingers combed through his hair, nails gently scraping along his scalp. “Mmmn…not playing fair, Liv. Gonna make me take a nap at this rate.”

Before she could respond, a knock at her door. “Ms. Masters. Your order’s arrived!” the voice of one of the bartenders said, waiting for her to answer personally.

Jerome groaned deeply, glaring at the door that killed such a lovely moment. “C’mon, Gingersnap. I know you’re hungry.” She placed a hand on his chest and gently pushed him, thankful for the fact that when she would open the door, her employee wouldn’t be able to see Jerome. “Thanks, Tommy.” She said, taking the bag from the young man and locking the door once she closed it, the delicious smell of Chinese filling the space as she began unpacking the bag and setting the contents on the counter. 

Jerome felt his stomach begin to growl and accepted that he would have to wait a bit longer before getting some more action with his witch. “Smells scrumptious, babe. What’s all here?” he asked, looking at the containers of food.

“We’ve got egg drop soup, boneless barbecue spare ribs, honey chicken with veggie rice, teriyaki chicken skewers and a few crab rangoon and egg rolls. I usually buy a lot from this place. Aside from the soup, they hold over well as leftovers. Make yourself a plate, Jerome.” She told him, offering him a spoon to scoop his own portions out onto his plate. She also handed him a bowl in case he wanted some soup. 

After she loaded up her plate, Olivia moved to the living room, setting her plate and bowl on the coffee table and turned the television on, putting the DVD into the player and letting it play to the menu as she grabbed a soda and used her magic to float the remote towards her, sitting in the middle of the plush sofa, waiting for Jerome to join her.

Jerome grabbed the silverware that she seemed to have forgotten and made his way to accompany her, sitting beside her after setting his food down as well. “Start the movie, hotstuff!” He told her as she hit play and grabbed her bowl of soup, egg noodles soaking up the warm broth.

The two sat in comfortable silence as the movie played, interjecting here and there as they ate. Jerome throughly enjoyed the meal. Something with actual flavor that would fill him up. He happily bit into a crunchy egg roll, savoring each and every flavor the different dishes gave him.

As they cleared their plates, Olivia pat his shoulder before standing up. “I’m gonna get us some ice cream.” She announced and left his side, Jerome nodding before cackling as Chucky flipped off a stoner in a car before a huge explosion claimed several lives in the movie.

She returned soon with two bowls, a spoon in each. “Here ya go, Sweetface.” She said, setting his bowl in his lap. He noticed she had rainbow sherbet and looked down to his bowl and he felt himself pause when he noticed what looked like Chunky Monkey with extra fudge drizzled over the two generous scoops. A soft and genuine smile tugged at his scarred lips, a soft weight on his shoulder. He turned his head slightly to see Olivia resting her head against him, pulling a soft Starry Night themed blanket to drape over them. 

He felt cozy. He wasn’t going to lie. Very rarely was there a quiet moment in his life. In his childhood and even his adult life. But, this didn’t feel so bad. To just enjoy the movie, clinking of spoons in the bowls and even the warmth between them. Jerome bounced a word around in his head back and forth for a little bit before he knew it sounded right. ‘Home’. This is what being here felt like. He didn’t have any past experience to pull from sadly. But this had to be what a home felt like. 

He scooped a spoonful of the ice cream and was happy to indulge in this little joy. The banana flavor, the fudge and the walnuts giving it a pleasing crunch. As he chewed, a character was ran over by a semi-truck and he couldn’t help but at least giggle at the spectacle of the man exploding into gory chunks. Not realistic but the visual was quite something.

He hadn’t heard anything from Olivia for a few moments so he looked down and saw that she had dozed off! Eyes fully closed with a soft smile on her face and an arm loosely wrapped around his. She looked completely at ease where she was. With him of all people. He let her stay as she was, not minding the feeling at all even when she would scoot closer. 

The credits began to roll and he looked at their empty plates and bowls, also looking to the kitchen to see she had already put the leftovers in the fridge so nothing would be wasted. Jerome carefully stretched, stand afterwords. “Still fast asleep huh? You really must be busy here.” He said, wrapping the blanket around her and scooping her into his arms after shutting the TV off, lifting her with ease. 

He hummed quietly as he walked with her to her bedroom, the woman mumbling incoherently in her sleep as her head rested against his shoulder and chest. The room was always welcoming to him; a large mattress that he could sink into, much like a cloud. And such soft blankets she had. 

Jerome set heron the bed after managing to pull the large comforter back, hearing her groan softly but soon relax against the mattress. He looked beside her and noticed an extra pillow next to hers. He moved, walking around the bed to the other side and decided to get into the bed and join her. 

As he pulled the covers over them, he felt a shifting towards him, Olivia soon nestling beside him. In no time, her head was tucked into his side and an arm over his chest, hand over his heart. He noticed she was still asleep and he let his head drop onto the pillow, his hand resting on top of hers. It all felt so natural to him with her here. 

He thought back on everything: the soda, toothbrush and shampoo, the ice cream and the new clothes. How easily she let him join her even though they could have fought. But there wasn’t any of that. They may clash here and there but, everything, all these little things, made him feel as if she actually wanted him around. Even enjoyed his company.

As he let his free arm wrap loosely around Olivia, he had only one real though as he slowly began drifting off to join her in dreamland. ‘Best birthday ever…’


End file.
